Pentecostal vs. Church of Christ
A side-by-side comparison of Pentecostal and Church of Christ teaching on 16 questions, from Scripture and salvation to baptism, communion and church government.
Pentecostal
Pentecostalism began in the early 1900s, notably at the Azusa Street revival in Los Angeles. It teaches that the gifts of the Holy Spirit described in Acts and 1 Corinthians, including tongues and healing, are active today. It is among the fastest-growing Christian movements.
Church of Christ
The Churches of Christ come from the American Restoration Movement of the early 1800s, which sought to return to the pattern of the New Testament church. Congregations are independent, and they are known for weekly communion and unaccompanied singing.
At a glance
Where they differ: How a person is saved; Baptism; The Holy Spirit and spiritual gifts.
Varies within one or both: Church government; Clergy and women in ministry.
Where they agree: Authority: Scripture and tradition; Books of the Bible; The Trinity; Can a saved person fall away?; Predestination and free will; Communion (the Lord’s Supper); Sacraments or ordinances; Mary and the saints; Death, purgatory and hell; Style of worship; Day of worship.
Side by side
| Question | Pentecostal | Church of Christ |
|---|---|---|
| Authority: Scripture and traditionAgree | The Bible is the inspired and final authority. Believers also expect the Holy Spirit to guide them personally, always tested against Scripture. | The New Testament is the pattern for worship and church life. Practices are expected to be supported by a command, an example or a necessary inference from Scripture. |
| Books of the BibleAgree | 66 books. | 66 books. |
| The TrinityAgree | Most Pentecostals, including the Assemblies of God, are Trinitarian. A smaller “Oneness” wing rejects the doctrine and teaches that Father, Son and Spirit are modes of one person. | One God in three persons. Churches of Christ have no written creed and rest the belief directly on Scripture. |
| How a person is savedDiffer | Saved by grace through faith in Christ, usually with an emphasis on new birth and a personal experience of conversion. It is often followed by a distinct experience called baptism in the Holy Spirit. | Saved by grace, received through faith that includes repentance, confession of Christ and baptism. Baptism is taught as the point at which sins are forgiven, and faith is understood as active obedience. |
| Can a saved person fall away?Agree | Most classical Pentecostal bodies, such as the Assemblies of God, hold that a believer can forfeit salvation, though some Pentecostals teach eternal security. | Yes. A Christian who lives in sin without repenting can fall away, and Churches of Christ point to warnings such as Hebrews 6 and 10. |
| Predestination and free willAgree | Generally Arminian: Christ died for all, and each person can accept or refuse. A small number of Reformed Pentecostals hold to election. | Rejects Calvinist predestination. God offers salvation to all and each person must choose to obey the gospel. |
| BaptismDiffer | Believer’s baptism by immersion, as an act of obedience and a public witness. Baptism is distinguished from baptism in the Holy Spirit. | Immersion of a believer for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). Baptism is taught as necessary for salvation, and infant baptism is rejected. |
| Communion (the Lord’s Supper)Agree | An ordinance in memory of Christ’s death. It is often marked with a sense of God’s presence and healing. | A memorial observed every Sunday, since Acts 20:7 is taken to show the pattern of the early church. The elements are symbols. |
| Sacraments or ordinancesAgree | Two ordinances, water baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Some Pentecostal groups add foot washing. | Two ordinances, baptism and the Lord’s Supper. |
| Church governmentVaries | Varies. The Assemblies of God combines congregational and presbyterian features, and the Church of God in Christ has bishops. | Each congregation is fully autonomous and is led by a group of elders (also called shepherds or overseers). There is no denominational headquarters. |
| Clergy and women in ministryVaries | Varies. The Assemblies of God ordains women, and some other Pentecostal bodies reserve pastoral office for men. | Elders, preachers and public worship leaders are men. Women teach children and other women and take part in many other roles. |
| Mary and the saintsAgree | Mary is honored as the mother of Jesus. Pentecostals do not pray to her or the saints. | Mary is honored as the mother of Jesus. There is no prayer to saints, and no role for saints in worship. |
| Death, purgatory and hellAgree | Believers go directly into Christ’s presence at death. Pentecostals hold to a literal heaven and hell and expect the return of Christ. | The dead await judgment in Hades, in comfort or in torment. After the resurrection the righteous enter heaven and the wicked face eternal punishment. |
| Style of worshipAgree | Expressive and Spirit-led, with lively music, spontaneous prayer, testimony and an openness to prophecy, tongues and healing. | A simple service of singing, prayer, preaching, communion and giving. Most congregations sing without instruments. |
| The Holy Spirit and spiritual giftsDiffer | All the gifts of the Spirit continue today. Most teach baptism in the Holy Spirit as a separate experience after conversion, and many teach speaking in tongues as the initial sign of it. | Generally teaches that miraculous gifts, such as tongues and healing, ended with the apostolic age. The Spirit is understood to work through the written Word. |
| Day of worshipAgree | Sunday. | Sunday, the first day of the week (Acts 20:7). |
| Best known for | Speaking in tongues, healing, lively worship and rapid growth in Latin America, Africa and Asia. | Weekly communion, unaccompanied singing, believer’s baptism for forgiveness and a determination to follow the New Testament pattern. |
“Agree” means the two traditions take the same broad position, although the wording above may still note finer differences. “Varies” means at least one of the two is itself divided on the question, so no single position can be given. These summaries describe typical teaching, and individual churches may vary. For an authoritative statement, consult each denomination’s own confessions.
Learn more on this site
- What Does the Bible Say About Salvation?
- Grace
- Justification
- Baptism
- What Does the Bible Say About Spiritual Gifts?
- The Inspiration and Inerrancy of Scripture
- The Reliability of Scripture
- The Canon
- Textual Variants and "Lost Books" (Gnostic Gospels, Apocrypha)
- The Trinity
- The Deity of Christ
- Free Will, Predestination, and Divine Sovereignty
- Catholic Church
- Eastern Orthodox Church
- What Does the Bible Say About Heaven?
- What Does the Bible Say About Hell?
- What Does the Bible Say About Judgment Day?
- What Does the Bible Say About Worship?
- Sabbath
More comparisons
Pentecostal
- Catholic vs. Pentecostal
- Eastern Orthodox vs. Pentecostal
- Lutheran vs. Pentecostal
- Presbyterian / Reformed vs. Pentecostal
- Anglican / Episcopal vs. Pentecostal
- Methodist vs. Pentecostal
- Baptist vs. Pentecostal
- Anabaptist / Mennonite vs. Pentecostal
- Pentecostal vs. Seventh-day Adventist
- Pentecostal vs. Non-denominational
Church of Christ
- Catholic vs. Church of Christ
- Eastern Orthodox vs. Church of Christ
- Lutheran vs. Church of Christ
- Presbyterian / Reformed vs. Church of Christ
- Anglican / Episcopal vs. Church of Christ
- Methodist vs. Church of Christ
- Baptist vs. Church of Christ
- Anabaptist / Mennonite vs. Church of Christ
- Seventh-day Adventist vs. Church of Christ
- Church of Christ vs. Non-denominational